punch line

這一篇是有關這兩天馬達加斯加的政變，
新領導者只有34歲，未滿40歲，
非洲安理會認為違憲，因此不予承認。
西方國家沒有人參加就職大典。
So punch line is, inexperienced and illegal power hungry greenhorn backed by minority and some foreign elements manages to turn the military against the democracy and majority and becomes dictator. And looks like many around here are happy to see the birth of another Marcos, Pinochet or Musharraf.
What has happened in Madagascar is symptomatic of what is to come in the rest of the world. Through democratic means or simply 'people power', the people of the world are rising up and saying no to the fire sale of their country to foreign corporations.
I think any democratic society should shun this sham .

punch line----the last few words of a joke or story, that make it funny or surprising
greenhorn ---someone who lacks experience of something

fire sale -----
a sale of goods at a lower price because they have been slightly damaged by a fire, or of goods that cannot be stored because of a fire
sham---someone or something that is not what they are claimed to be - used to show disapproval

hand/give/offer sb sth on a plate

今天是Obama參加脫口秀的------第一個現任美國總統參加脫口秀。
U.S. President Barack Obama told talk show host Jay Leno Thursday he was stunned to hear of bonuses given to AIG employees, and he vouched for embattled Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, saying he's doing an outstanding job.
The president added that the bigger problem is the culture that allowed traders to claim them. He says that's got to change if the economy is to recover.
"He is a smart guy and he's a calm and steady guy. I don't think people fully appreciate the plate that was handed him."
Obama, in California on a two-day swing to promote his economic agenda, is the first sitting U.S. president to appear on the Tonight Show.

vouch for
to say that you firmly believe that something is true or good because of your experience or knowledge of it
hand/give/offer sb sth on a plate
to let someone get or achieve something easily, without much effort from them
I worked hard for what I've got. It wasn't handed to me on a plate.
a two-day swing----swing是什麼意思，我也不知道，我猜是趕場的意思。尚待考證。
the first sitting U.S. president----第一個現任總統

Scholarship handed to hospitality worker on a plate
Marvin Burchall’s customer service gets him the education he wanted but couldn’t afford
http://www.bermudasun.bm/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=270&ArticleID=36337

on the fly

Mitt Romney: Obama 'is learning on the fly'
一邊做，一邊學。
誰不是呢?
Well, this probably isn't the right time for it. I line up with Warren Buffett on this. I prefer to see the president focusing all of his time and energy on the economy.
I'm not going to be taking my time taking pot shots at the entire profession of business or any other profession in this country. Except maybe lawyers -- I'm kidding.

take a pot shot at sb/sth
a) to shoot at someone or something without aiming very carefully
b) to criticize someone or something unfairly without thinking carefully about it
胡亂批評
learning on the fly
while dealing with a situation, rather than before dealing with it
一邊做，一邊學
註：Mitt Romney是共和黨上次和Macan競選提名失敗的州長

Sleight of hand

Congress follows one blunder with another. First they allow the bonuses to be included in the bill. Then they try to fix their own mistake with a tax grab that will never hold up in court. There are two specific provisions in the Constitution the bonus taxes violate. America has now become total sleight of hand.
So WHY THE HELL IS OBAMA CRYING OVER THIS??? IT was HIS ADMINISTRATION THAT CALLED FOR THESE BONUSES. Either fire Geithner or put a sock in it OBAMA

enough is enough!!!

Sleight of hand is the deceiving of someone in a skilful way.
the use of quick and skilful movements with your hands when doing a magic trick, so that people cannot understand how you did the trick
the use of skilful tricks and lies in order to deceive someone

put a sock in it
To be quiet; to shut one's mouth; to stop talking

the buck stops here

今天的美國新聞，有些有錢人鑽法律的漏洞，也能領食物救濟券。
It's appalling ... a very big, bad loophole," Commissioner Pat South said.The value of a person's home has never been part of the accounting that goes into determining food stamp eligibility, which lasts for six months at a time.
Therefore, in theory, a person with $1 million in the bank, but no income, can get food stamps."I'm beside myself, I'm so upset over it. It's ridiculous. It's not what America stands for,"
This is absolutely ridiculous and the buck stops here,"
我要負起責任

food stamp ----
an official piece of paper that the US government gives to poor people so they can buy food
be beside yourself----
to be feeling so angry, excited etc that you find it difficult to control yourself
the buck stops here---
used to say that a particular person is responsible for something
我覺得應該是I'm responsibe.
==================================================================
補充三月19日今天早上，Obama說話了。
Earlier Wednesday, Obama said no one in his administration had been responsible for supervising ailing insurance giant AIG but that ultimately, the buck stops with him.
==================================================================
在講到buck這個字，不禁讓想到下面這三句片語
pass the buck(這一句是我在劉光煒編的美國常用成語及片語學來的)
to make someone else them responsible for something that you should deal with
feel/look like a million bucks
(記得這一句在FRIENDS的第一集當瑞秋出現的時候，錢德勒說了這一句)
informal especially AmE to feel or look very healthy, happy, and beautiful
more bang for the buck (這一句太常見了)
more effective use of funds

citizen's arrest

昨天美國前總統布希到加拿大演講，入場費1400加幣。
場外卻比場內更熱鬧，抗議的群眾有好幾百人。
有人就說應該進行citizen's arrest。
到底是什麼意思呢?

An arrest made by a citizen, for whom legal authority arises from the fact of citizenship, rather than by an officer of the law.

Obama urges quick passage of stimulus plan

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2009/02/09/obamaroad.html
這篇文章看起來好像硬梆梆，但是，還是有趣的地方。

1。 pork barrel politics ---usually refers to spending that is intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for their political support

例子：During the news conference, Obama defended his program against Republican criticism that the stimulus package is loaded with pork-barrel spending and will not create jobs.(意思就是只是討好特定選民，而不是創造就業機會)

2。in dire straits----be in an extremely difficult or serious situation

例子：Again and again, Obama stressed the U.S. economy is in dire straits.
(非常慘的情況)

3。 run-of-the-mill ----ordinary
例子："This is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill recession,"
(不是一個普通的經濟衰退)

4。Hope for the best and prepare for the worst ----我不會翻，大概類似我們"做最好的準備和最壞的打算"(這句是諺語)

例子："We can't afford to wait. We can't wait to see and hope for the best," Obama said. (我們不能什麼都不做，只期待會發生最好的結果)

5。soup kitchen---- a place where food is offered to the poor and homeless for free or at a reasonably low price.

例子：Wish yo a good luck in the lineup soon...... in the soup kitchen
(在回文中有一些人胡亂批評，因此有人祝他們到食物救濟中心去排隊)

我很喜歡看回文，因為不但可以得知不同人的想法，還可以學到很多口語，比字典還棒。